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FPL Wants To Speed Up Plans To Strengthen Grid

FPL crew replaces a pole and transfer facilities as part of a feeder reliability job in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on March 10, 2009.

(Source: CBS4)

RIVIERA BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) – Having learned lessons from Superstorm Sandy and flooding across Florida from a number of tropical storms last year, Florida Power & Light wants to speed up plans to strengthen their electric grid against hurricanes and other extreme weather.

FPL President Eric Silagy said Thursday that FPL expects to invest another half a billion dollars over the next three years to get planned equipment upgrades into place sooner than previously scheduled. The company has already spent nearly $460 million since 2007 to improve its infrastructure.

Those improvements include concrete utility poles, steel transmission structures and new systems to monitor water levels at substations at risk for flooding.

The Public Service Commission is considering FPL’s plans. Silagy said there would be no immediate effect on consumers’ rates.